Could Japanese invention end tooth decay?

Dentists in Japan are "aiming to create aritificial tooth enamel" that would prevent tooth decay and make teeth appear whiter, said Shigeki Hontsu, professor at Kinki University’s Faculty of Biology-Oriented Science and Technology in western Japan.

Dr. Hontsu and his partner, Kazushi Yoshikawa, associate professor at Osaka Dental University, are on track to do just that. The pair have created and patented a microscopically thin film that can coat individual teeth to create many benefits, according to an article in rawstory.com. It is called a "tooth patch."

The tooth patch has been patented in Japan and South Korea, and applications are underway in the United States, Europe, and China.

Five years or more would be needed before the film could be used in practical dental treatment such as covering exposed dentin — but it could be used cosmetically within three years, Hontsu said.

The tooth patch is a hard-wearing and ultra-flexible material made from hydroxyapatite, the main mineral in tooth enamel, that could also mean an end to sensitive teeth.

To read more about this new dental product of the future, click rawstory.